Human population growth and overconsumption are at the root of our most pressing environmental issues, including the species extinction crisis, habitat loss and climate change. To save wildlife and wild places, we use creative media and public outreach to raise awareness about runaway human population growth and unsustainable consumption — and their close link to the endangerment of other species.

There are more than 7 billion people on the planet, and we're adding 227,000 more every day. The toll on wildlife is impossible to miss: Species are disappearing 1,000 to 10,000 times faster than the natural rate. It's clear that these issues need to be addressed before it's too late.

ABOUT OUR POPULATION AND SUSTAINABILITY WORK

The Center has been working to address the connection between rampant human population growth and the extinction crisis since 2009. Our innovative outreach and public-pressure campaigns — like our award-winning Endangered Species Condoms project — focus on common-sense solutions, including the empowerment of women and girls, the education of all people, universal access to birth control, sustainable consumer choices, and a societal commitment to giving all species a chance to live and thrive.

In 2013 we expanded our population program to encompass overconsumption and sustainability, too — since these issues are intricately tied to the impact of human population on endangered species and the health of our planet. The expanded program will continue using a combination of creative media, advocacy, outreach, and the expansion of our nationwide network of population and sustainability activists to keep these critical issues in the spotlight.

MILESTONES

Launched Take Extinction Off Your Plate, the first full-time program by a major environmental group addressing the devastating impact of the meat industry on wildlife.

Commissioned a groundbreaking poll showing that most Americans believe human population growth is a significant factor in the disappearance of wildlife.

Created an innovative social media campaign that inspired people from around the world to share photos of what living in a world of 7 billion looked like and felt like to them.

Mobilized supporters to submit more than 1,500 letters to the editor to newspapers around the country about the impacts of population growth on wildlife.

Generated momentous media attention on the often ignored issue of human population in top outlets, including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Huffington Post, The Washington Post, Mashable and dozens of radio and podcast appearances.

Reached more than one million people with our campaigns on Facebook and Twitter.

+WHY DO WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT POPULATION AND SUSTAINABILITY?

The world’s human population doubled from 1 to 2 billion between 1800 and 1930, and then doubled again by 1975. At the end of October 2011, it surpassed 7 billion. Now, everyday we add 227,000 more people to the planet. This staggering increase, and the massive consumption it drives, are overwhelming our planet’s finite resources. As the world’s population grows, so do its demands for water, land, trees and fossil fuels — all of which come at a steep price for already endangered plants and animals. And as our global economy continues to demand more growth, unsustainable industries — like raising livestock for meat — spread around the world, gobbling up land and water and leaving in their wake greenhouse gases and habitat destruction.

We’ve already witnessed the devastating effects of human population growth on biodiversity: Species abundant in North America just two centuries ago — from the woodland bison of West Virginia and Arizona’s Merriam’s elk to the Rocky Mountain grasshopper, passenger pigeon and Puerto Rico’s Culebra parrot — have been wiped out by growing human numbers.

Most biologists agree that we’re in the midst of the Earth’s sixth mass extinction event; species are disappearing at the fastest rate since dinosaurs roamed the planet. This time, though, it isn’t because of geologic or cosmic forces — it’s because of our unsustainable human population growth and overconsumption.

Spotlights

#CrowdedPlanetThere are nearly 7.2 billion people on the planet today. That means more crowds, more traffic, more pollution… and less room for wildlife. We want to see what sharing a crowded planet with wildlife looks like in your neighborhood. Submit your photos to our campaign.

Endangered Species Condoms
Condoms wrapped in colorful wildlife-themed packages offer a unique way to talk about human population pressure on endangered species. Learn why — and how — to get involved.

Extinction-free-BBQ
Meat production is responsible for more environmental degradation than any other single industry. So next time you fire up the grill, check out our website with meatless recipes from top chefs and make your cookout extinction-free.

Interactive MapWhich endangered species live near you — the black-footed ferret, the yellow-billed cuckoo? Find out now by clicking on our interactive map of at-risk plants and animals in your area.

Write a Letter to the Editor
Want to spread the word through words? A letter to the editor of a local paper is a great way to get peoplet talking about population and sustainability. Learn how with our guide in our Take-action Toolbox.